Knock down cabinet



March 15, 1966 E. G. RULF KNOCK DOWN CABINET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1963 INVENTOR. ELMEZ 6-. E04,

WAM+MDQM ATT'OENEY;

March 15, 1966 U F 3,240,545

KNOCK DOWN CABINET Filed Sept. 16, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

ELMEE 6-. 204/ .6 BY F27 fln dw i w March 15, 1966 E. G. RULF KNOCK DOWN CABINET 3 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1963 INVENTOR. 54M EE' 6. 204.

BY 4M, (QM M l ATTOEA/EY5 United States Patent 3,240,545 KNOCK DOWN CABINET Elmer G. Rulf, Brookfield, Wis., assignor to Eldon Manufactoring (10., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Sept. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 309,116 9 Claims. (Cl. 312264) This invention relates to a knock down cabinet.

A feature of the cabinet consists in the fact that it can be shlpped for as low as one-tenth of the cost of shipping a fully erected structure of comparable size, and the parts are readily assembled by the consignee. In the disclosed embodiment, the frame includes the top and bottom panels and connecting posts, the top and bottom panels having means for positioning side panels which are interchangeable and wholly conceal the structural posts. Thus, in addition to savings in cost of shipment, the invention makes possible very large savings in storage space because the matter of providing a number of cabinets of different color or finished involves only the storage of the requisite number of interchangeable side panels.

The columns which connect the top and bottom panels to constitute the frame of the device are desirably of square or rectangular cross section rather than circular cross section and are prefabricated to provide for the mounting of shelves at various heights or an alternate mounting of drawers, the cabinet being provided with sliding doors to give access to the shelves, when shelves are used. The sliding doors are replaced by drawer fronts when drawers are used.

In consequence, the structure is very versatile, being adapted for assembly in different ways to accomplish different objectives.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a cabinet embodying the invention and shown with sliding doors.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cabinet shown in FIG 1 with the doors omitted and the top and one end panel being shown separated from the rest of the structure, a shelf being fragmentarily illustrated.

FIG. 3 is a view through the cabinet of FIG. 1 in horizontal section.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken in section on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken in section on the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken in section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail View on an enlarged scale showing in perspective a portion of a lower corner of the cabinet.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the cabinet modified to function as a chest, one of the drawers being partially open.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in horizontal section in the plane indicated at 99 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken in section on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view in transverse section on the line 11--11 of FIG. 9, one of the drawers being shown removed from the rest of the cabinet.

As clearly appears in FIGS. 2 to 5, the cabinet of the present invention comprises top and bottom panels 12 and 14 which, as assembled, are rigidly connected together by end columns 16 and intermediate columns 18. The columns are all provided with bases and capitals comprising plates to which the respective columns are welded. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the respective end columns 16 are all offset on their respective bases 20 and capitals 22, while the intermediate columns 18 are centered on their respective bases 24 and capitals 26.

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All of the plates which provide the bases and capitals are apertured to receive screws or the like 28 for connecting the columns rigidly to the top and bottom panels 12 and 14. The assembled top and bottom panels and the connecting columns constitute a frame on which side panels, shelves or drawers, and doors, legs and corner trim may be mounted interchangeably.

At the ends and back of the cabinet, the columns are enclosed by side panels 30 and 32. The top margins of each side panel are enlarged in channels 34 and the bottom margins in channels 36, the respective channels being mounted in opposing relation on the top panel 12 and bottom panel 14 of the cabinet. Adjacent each corner of the top and bottom panels are blocks 38 which are screwed in place as clearly appears in FIG. 7 and serve to position the ends of angled channel fittings 40. Each such fitting includes an inner angle 42 and an external angle 44- connected by a web 46. These angles project beyond the anchor blocks 38 in registry with the aforesaid channels 36 to receive the end margins of the respective side panels.

The corner members 40 are conveniently made by extrusion and they are cut to any desired length. Assuming that top and bottom panels 12 and 14 are made of wood, I find it desirable to make the corner members 40 slightly longer than the distance between the top and bottom panels as determined by the columns 16 and 13. Then when the structure is assembled, the tightening of the screws 28 which anchor the capitals and bases of the columns results in forcing the extremities 47 of the corner members 40 into the wood as best shown in FIG. 6. This rigidifies the structure.

At the back of the cabinet, a-n extrusion 48 similarly receives the opposed en-d margins of the two back panels 32 as shown in FIG. 3.

The cabinet may be used with or without legs. If legs are desired, they may be made as best shown in FIG. 4. Leg 50 is tubular and provided with a capital at 52 which is secured by bolt 54 (or otherwise) to the bottom panel 14 of the cabinet. A foot 56 is adjustably threaded into the base 58 with which the leg is provided.

The fact that the columns are rectangular (and preferably square) in cross section facilitates the interchangeable application of other parts thereto. To this end, the contiguous side and front surfaces of the columns desirably have pre-formed mounting openings. In the structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the cabinet is equipped with a shelf 60 which may be mounted at any desired height on conventional shelf brackets 62 which are interchangeably engaged with openings 64 punched or otherwise formed in front walls of respective columns. In this type of cabinet, it is preferred to have sliding doors 65 and 66 guided in top and bottom track members 68 and 70. Each such track member preferably comprises an extrusion having spaced flanges forming channels or ways in which the doors are guided for reciprocation. The only reason why I do not use identical way-forming members at 68 and 70 is because it is preferred that the flanges 72 of the top member 68 have greater vertical extent than the flanges '74 of the bottom member. This permits the doors to be inserted or removed at will, there being suflicient clearance between the doors and the flanges so that if a door is lifted somewhat from the normal position illustrated in FIG. 5, the bottom margin of the lifted door can be swung out over the flanges 74. By a converse operation, the doors may be inserted after the cabinet has been assembled. The respective members 68 and 70 have horizontal flanges at 76 connected to the respective top and bottom panels 12 and 14 by screws 78 or otherwise.

The columns are also punched or drilled or otherwise provided in their side walls with openings 80 to which slide hardware may be mounted to support drawers or the like as shown in FIGS. 8 to 11. I use conventional channels 82 connected by screws or bolts 84 to the end columns 16 and side columns 18. Conventionally associated therewith is a bracket 86 for a roller 88 for which the drawer 90 carries complementary channels 92 as shown in FIG. 1. The channel 92 has a bracket 94 similar to bracket 86, the purpose of which is to carry the roller 96. Roller 96 rides in the Way provided by channel 82 and roller 88 rides in the way provided by the channel 92.

The organization is preferably such that it is unnecessary to remove the extrusion 68 provided for the guidance of doors. This serves as trim above the top drawer 90 as clearly appears in FIG. 10. The drawer pulls 98 can be mounted by screws to the tops of the respective drawers. These may conveniently be made by extrusion and cut into any desired lengths.

All of the component parts for a cabinet 30 x 60" and 30" high can be packed in a carton which is only 30 /2 x 60 /2 x inches. The saving in space results in very great economy in shipping cost as compared with shipment of a pre-erected cabinet. Yet the erection of the cabinet either in the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 or in the form shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 requires only about twenty minutes. Disassembly is equally simple. Thus, it is readily possible to replace the several Side panels and/or doors or drawers in a very short time either to repair damage or to change the color scheme or decorative effect.

While all the parts herein described as panels are conveniently made of wood, this is by no means a necessity since any other structural materials may be employed. I have shown a surfacing such as linoleum applied as a sheet 100 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and I have shown trim strips 102 applied to the margins of top and bottom panels. It will be understood that such features are optional.

In assembly, the legs, if any, and the bases of the various columns and the channels 36 and 70 are attached to the base panel 14. The anchor blocks 38 are attached. The channels 34 and 68 and the corresponding anchor blocks 38 are then attached to the top panel 12. With the corner channel members 40 in place, the various side panels 30 and 32 and the channel member 48 are erected on the bottom panel 14 and held in position while the top panel 12 is set over the columns with its several channels engaged with the side panels. When the columns are screwed to the top panel, the basic assembly is completed and can be finished by adding the trim and mounting either the shelf and doors or the drawer guides and drawers, as the case may be.

I claim:

1. A knock-down cabinet including a frame which is independently rigid, said frame consisting of cabinet top and cabinet bottom panels and internal columns having broad bases and capitals respectively connected rigidly with said panels, the top panel having a finished planiform surface overlying said columns, and capitals of said columns being connected with the under surface of the top panel and being wholly concealed thereby, and side panels mounted on said frame and disposed between the top and bottom panels externally of the columns and substantially free of connection therewith, the top and bottom panels of said frame having prefabricated upper and lower channels attached to their interior surfaces and with which the upper and lower margins of the side panels are respectively engaged.

2. A cabinet according to claim 1 internally provided with a shelf having means for mounting it from said frame columns independently of the side panels.

3. A cabinet according to claim 1 provided with drawer means and drawer slide hardware mounted on said columns independently of said side panels and providing ways upon which the drawer means is slidable.

4. A cabinet according to claim 1 in which the frame includes door slide chanels respectively connected with the lower surface of the top and the upper surface of the bottom panels, and at least one door slidably mounted in the respective channels last mentioned.

5. A knock down cabinet comprising top and bottom panels and side and center columns having capitals and bases respectively connected rigidly with the top and bottom panels internally of the cabinet and constituting therewith a frame, the top panel providing a. planiform finished surface for the cabinet and which surface is continuous across said columns and wholly conceals the connection of the capitals to the top panel, channeled corner members extending vertically between the top and bottom panels in planes disposed externally of the columns, channels connected with the top panel and the bottom panel and extending along the sides of the panels between the corner members and aligned with the channels of the corner members and with each other in respective planes, side panels having margins respectively engaged in the top and bottom channels and the said channels of the corner members in enclosing relation to the columns of said frame and disposed at three sides of the frame, and separate means for closing the interior of the cabinet at the fourth side of the frame.

6. A knock down cabinet comprising top and bottom panels and side and center columns having capitals and bases respectively connected rigidly with the top and bottom panels internally of the cabinet and constituting therewith a frame, the top panel providing a planiform finished surface for the cabinet and which surface is continuous across said columns and wholly conceals the connection of the capitals to the top panel, channeled corner members extending vertically between the top and bottom panels in planes disposed externally of the columns, channels connected with the top panel and the bottom panel and extending along the sides of the panels between the corner members and aligned with the channels of the corner members and with each other in respective planes, side panels having margins respectively engaged in the top and bottom channels and the said channels of the corner members in enclosing relation to the columns of said frame and disposed at three sides of the frame, and separate means for closing the interior of the cabinet at the fourth side of the frame, the top and bottom panels having blocks connected therewith and disposed in the channels of respective corner members for positioning the corner members between said top and bottom panels, the corner members being otherwise free of physical attachment to said top and bottom panels.

7. A knock down cabinet comprising top and bottom panels and side and center columns having capitals and bases respectively connected rigidly with the top and bottom panels internally of the cabinet and constituting therewith a frame, the top panel providing a planiform finished surface for the cabinet and which surface is continuous across said columns and wholly conceals the connection of the capitals to the top panel, channeled corner members extending vertically between the top and bottom panels in planes disposed externally of the colurnns, channels connected with the top panel and the bottom panel and extending along the sides of the panels between the corner members and aligned with the channels of the corner members and with each other in respective planes, side panels having margins respectively engaged in the top and bottom channels and the said channels of the corner members in enclosing relation to the columns of said frame and disposed at three sides of the frame, and separate means for closing the interior of the cabinet at the fourth side of the frame, the means closing the fourth side of the cabinet comprising a pair of slidable doors for which the top and bottom panel members are respectively provided with opposed double channels providing ways in which the doors are slidable.

8. A knock down cabinet comprising top and bottom panels and side and center columns having capitals and bases respectively connected rigidly with the top and bot;

tom panels internally of the cabinet and constituting therewith a frame, the top panel providing a planiform finished surface for the cabinet and which surface is continuous across said columns and wholly conceals the connection of the capitals to the top panel, channeled corner members extending vertically between the top and bottom panels in planes disposed externally of the columns, channels connected with the top panel and the bottom panel and extending along the sides of the panels between the corner members and aligned with the channels of the corner members and with each other in respective planes, side panels having margins respectively engaged in the top and bottom channels and the said channels of the corner members in enclosing relation to the columns of said frame and disposed at three sides of the frame, and separate means for closing the interior of the cabinet at the fourth side of the frame, the intermediate columns being centered upon their respective bases and capitals and the end columns being disposed at the outside margins of their respective bases and capitals, the 2 several columns being of rectangular cross section and provided in contiguous side faces with pre-forrned openings.

9. A cabinet according to claim 8 in further combination with drawer slide hardware connected to certain of said openings in the side faces of said columns and drawers slidable on such hardware and having fronts constituting the means for closing the fourth side of the cabinet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,866,174 7/1932 Richardson 312-265 X 1,897,568 2/1933 Bales 312-257 2,188,213 5/1938 Mallott 312-140X 2,328,835 9/1943 Motter 312-333 2,475,079 7/1949 Clouse et al 312-257 X 2,636,797 4/1953 Alheit 312-128 2,815,649 12/1957 Di Angelus et al. 312-351 X 2,962,334 11/1960 Dutmers 312-265 X 3,026,149 3/1962 Ruhnke 308-38 3,066,004 11/1962 Engelbrecht 312-351 X FOREIGN PATENTS 192,478 2/ 1923 Great Britain.

153,436 6/1932 Switzerland.

342,715 1/ 1960 Switzerland,

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

25 FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner. 

1. A KNOCK-DOWN CABINET INCLUDING A FRAME WHICH IS INDEPENDENTLY RIGID, SAID FRAME CONSISTING OF CABINET TOP AND CABINET BOTTOM PANELS AND INTERNAL COLUMNS HAVING BROAD BASES AND CAPITALS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED RIGIDLY WITH SAID PANELS, THE TOP PANEL HAVING A FINISHED PLANIFORM SURFACE OVERLYING SAID COLUMNS, AND CAPITALS OF SAID COLUMNS BEING CONNECTED WITH THE UNDER SURFACE OF THE TOP PANEL AND BEING WHOLLY CONCEALED THEREBY, AND SIDE PANELS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND DISPOSED BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM PANELS EXTERNALLY OF THE COLUMNS AND SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF CONNECTION THEREWITH, THE TOP AND BOTTOM PANELS OF SAID FRAME HAVING PREFABRICATED UPPER AND LOWER CHANNELS ATTACHED TO THEIR INTERIOR SURFACES AND WITH WHICH THE UPPER AND LOWER MARGINS OF THE SIDE PANELS ARE RESPECTIVELY ENGAGED. 